Well, I'm WAY behind but before I pack up counts for clinic I'll do a quick recap on clinic which was last Tuesday!  Let me just say Gracie was SERIOUSLY a rockstar.  She was amazing, couldn't have done better.  We gave her zofran before we left and thankfully she didn't throw up this time.  When we got to the hospital and I got ready to put her numbing cream on her port she let me pull up her shirt with no fight and not one tear or crying, she just looked at grandpa and even gave a little smile/laugh.  And of course she was a big girl for her height/weight/blood pressure and temp!  And she got her stickers as usual!  Then she seriously rocked the access I couldn't believe my eyes.  Not a single tear just a big, brave beautiful girl.  My friend whose son is undergoing treatment for leukemia as well (3 years old) told me this quote and I love it because its so true, "many people never meet their heroes, I gave birth to mine".  I mean holy smokes she is 1 million times braver than me.  She literally sat there and watched them poke her with a needle and draw blood after 14 months of tough treatment.  She did great for her back poke, i've lost count and played while she got her Vincristine (chemo) through her port.  I just love that girl.  We started steroids that night and blessing of all blessings she did unbelievably well compared to our last pulse.  No clue why, but I'm grateful, so grateful.  She of course had her moments and the last 2 days we had to use valium a couple times, but she did great.  We were all geared up for an awful, awful time and even thought we were going to give her an antipsychotic (until we tried it the first night and she woke up 2 hours later freaking out like she was on steroids, so we thought and worried about it and in the end we decided to bag it and I'm so glad we did.  Of course on the way home for being so brave Grandpa treated Gracie to a Tinkerbell balloon (they were out of Ariel-silly helium shortage) and an ice cream treat.  Tyson was well cared for by Grandma at home.  Of course he must have felt left out b/c he had some real separation anxiety after Mom got home. 

CLINIC STATS

Weight: 38 lbs 12 oz ( a big jump-enough to raise her chemo dose a little)

Height: 3' 1 1/2"

WBC: 2.9

ANC: 1700

Hemoglobin:  11.9

Platelets: 324,000

I snuck in the first two doses of steroids through some juice gracie loves I'd sneak the pill in the tip of a straw and she would swallow the pill without knowing it...she always figures me out though.  Back to crushing but I sure enjoyed those two doses of no crushing and I was proud of my 2 year old for swallowing a pill!  What am I saying I'm proud of her for everything she does!  She's done with this pulse of steroids and starting to act a little more like herself , however tonight she ate a TON of food so we know the effects are still in force and she's not totally Gracie yet. 

Oh and BIG NEWS!!  Todd finished school officially last Thursday!!  WOOHHOOOOOO!!  He started his job today.  So he is officially working and completed his first day of work!  We move down on Friday.  Off to pack somemore!!

Just a plug for Tyson I'll post some pictures soon I got some SUPER cute ones of him and he is almost 11 months.  WOW!  A big strong active boy.  He always wants to be doing what Gracie is now and finally broke his two top teeth, they were pretty brutal.  UP and down and up and down.  Hope they are down to stay.  He gnawed through the tissue with his bottom two and had a bruise before that.  He is so super cute though and getting around EVERYWHERE.  He may be walking before long.  Love my kids!!  I am one lucky Mom and wife!!